In order to access palliative care services, a patient must first receive a written referral by a health-care provider, as detailed below. When should I seek a referral? A person diagnosed with a life-limiting illness can seek a referral to palliative care services at any point during his/her illness. For more information about what kind of services are offered by the palliative care team, see Services. What is a life-limiting illness? A life-limiting illness refers to any illness or condition that cannot be taken away and could shorten the patient’s natural life. If you are unsure if your, or your loved one’s illness is life-limiting, please contact the palliative care nurse navigator at 709-777-7303 or toll-free at 1-855-690-7303. Who can write a referral? A family physician, specialist or nurse practitioner responsible for the patient’s care will be able to complete a referral form. For more information about obtaining a referral, see Referral Process. If you are a health-care provider wishing to write a referral for a client, see Referral Process. Provincial Focus For a list of Eastern Health facilities that offer inpatient palliative care services, please visit Locations. If you live outside the Eastern Health region, you may still be referred to the Eastern Health regional Palliative Care Program. To find out if you are eligible to receive palliative care services from Eastern Health, please visit Provincial Focus. If you think that palliative care services might be of use to you or loved one, ask your health-care provider about obtaining a referral.
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